Dead man takes issue with county

The Chico resident was notified of his death Monday when the county sent him a letter telling him he will not longer receive his county-provided medical benefits because he is deceased.

It was quite a shock to Snyder, 54, who was very much alive when he opened his mailbox Monday. He's battled a lot in recent years, including the deaths of his parents, fianc? and his son, and also overcame cancer. But he is still here to tell the tale.

"Everybody thinks I am dead," he said. "Why they would confuse me with anyone else out there, I don't know."

Snyder got the first inkling something was wrong when he went to pick up a prescription at CVS and his county medical services card was denied.

He came home and found a notice of action from Butte County in his mail. It read:

"As of Jan. 31, 2013, the county is stopping your medical. Here is why: The county has information that Daniel R. Snyder is deceased. Call your coworker if you have any questions or if there are facts you did not tell us. There are no death benefits provided under the medical program."

A bit perplexed and with somewhat of a chuckle, he took the notice in stride.

"So basically, they are sending a dead guy a notice," Snyder said.

He called Butte County and was told the county is trying to fix the issue but that he would also need to work with Social Security, which was notified Snyder was dead.

The mistake has worrisome effects. A longtime Chico resident and retired electrician, Snyder relies on the county's medical program for his medication and other health treatment.

More importantly, he said, Social Security is his main income.

"I called them and they said they can't guarantee I'll get paid next month," Snyder said. "I could lose my apartment."

Butte County Social Services could not be reached for comment but Patricia Raymond, the regional communication director of the Social Security Administration, said false terminations are rare and procedures are in place to try to reduce such an occurrence.

The agency aims to prevent fraud by overpayment, but if benefits have been wrongly terminated, it always takes quick action to confirm and remedy the problem, she said.

"What we try to do is make it right, put the person back into pay so they can get their benefits," Raymond said.

Snyder is trying to keep a good attitude.

"With all the stuff that's happened to me, I don't think anything will get me down," he said.

He finds the letter so amusing, he plans to hang on to it.

"It's something I'm probably going to frame," he said.

Ultimately, he hopes the county will learn a lesson from this mistake.

"In our day and age, this shouldn't happen," he said. "When you are fooling with Social Security numbers and people's lives, that's scary. What about the next guy? He might die because he can't get his medication."